Allied Health Professionals at NMHS

Friday 14 October is Allied Health Professionals Day, which gives us a great opportunity to recognise the fantastic work done by this wide and varied group of care providers at NMHS.

Allied health professionals (AHPs) play a vital role in delivering diagnostic, technical, therapeutic and direct health services for people of all ages including children, older people, people with chronic illnesses and those experiencing disability.

Australia has over 200,000 AHPs delivering more than 200 million health services annually to improve the health and wellbeing of the consumers they support. Here are just a few of the services they provide.

Clinical Dieticians

Clinical Dietitians work across hospitals to provide nutrition support and dietary education to help patients optimise their health.

They provide specialised nutrition assessments and care plans, therapeutic diets, enteral tube feeding, parenteral nutrition, nutrition counselling and education to support patients to meet their individual nutrition needs.

Malnutrition can be diagnosed prior to and after medical treatment. Part of the role of a clinical dietitian is to address and improve malnutrition risks by providing nutrition assessment and care intervention to improve nutrition status.

Occupational Therapists

Occupational Therapy (OT) is a healthcare profession that focuses on enabling people to do the things they want and need to do in their everyday lives. OTs work across the lifespan with people who are experiencing illness or disability or are recovering from a medical event, such as a stroke or an operation.

The primary goal of OT is to enable people to participate in the activities of everyday life. OTs achieve this outcome by enabling people to do things that will enhance their ability to participate in life or by modifying the environment to better support participation.

Podiatrists

Podiatrists provide specialised assessment, diagnosis and treatment of high-risk foot disorders and facilitate provision of prescription footwear and foot orthoses to maximise function and prevent complications.

Podiatrists support patients to remain on their feet, mobile and independent.

Respiratory Physiotherapists

Respiratory Physiotherapy is important for many lung and breathing conditions.

Physiotherapists provide structured assessments and develop exercise programs to manage symptoms and improve quality of life for people living with lung diseases such as bronchiectasis, cystic fibrosis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Speech Pathologists

Speech Pathologists are university trained allied health professionals who provide specialised assessment and treatment of communication, swallowing and upper airway disorders.

They work alongside other health professionals to help people communicate effectively and eat and drink as safely and comfortably as possible.

Respiratory Physiotherapy

Occupational Therapy

Podiatry

Dietetics